Re-Entry: Soyuz U Rocket Stage from recent Progress Launch

The third Stage of the Soyuz U rocket that launched the Progress M-29M spacecraft on its path to the International Space Station re-entered the atmosphere on Saturday over the Pacific Ocean. Finishing its role in the successful launch of Progress M-29M, the Block I stage completed an avoidance and passivation maneuver, arriving in an orbit of 184 by 224 Kilometers, inclined 51.6°. This orbit is very short-lived and coupled with the rocket body’s low mass and large surface area, it makes for a quick orbital decay, typically within two days of launch.